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By Meri Simon and Michael Mayer
The action at South by Southwest took place on stage — where more than 2,500 bands played in clubs, restaurants, parking lots and backyards — and on the streets of the “Live Music Capital of the World.”

Couches and recliners made the day easy for fans at the day stage at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Austin. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Ultimate Painting plays at the club Latitude 30 in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Yukon Blonde plays at the club Bungalow in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Stina Tweeddale of Honeyblood at the club Lucille in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Honeyblood plays at Latitude 30 in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Courtney Barnett performs at the Radio Day Stage in the Austin Convention Center on Friday, March 20 as part of SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Courtney Barnett performs at the Radio Day Stage in the Austin Convention Center on Friday, March 20 as part of SXSW. (Photos by Meri Simon)

Laura Marling at the club Mohawk in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

The band The Heavenly States, formerly of Oakland, played at Fado Irish Pub in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Diarrhea Planet drove the crowd crazy at Trinity Hall in Austin as part of SXSW. (Photos by Meri Simon)

Jordan Smith and Diarrhea Planet rock out at Trinity Hall in Austin as part of SXSW. (Photos by Meri Simon)

Jordan Smith of the band Diarrhea Planet sings at Trinity Hall in Austin, Texas, on March 19 as part of SXSW. (Photos by Meri Simon)

Maja Milner of Makthaverskan sings at the club Red 7 on Friday, March 20, during SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee had a message for a would-be crowd surfer who jumped up on stage next to her. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Rain fell throughout most of Friday and Saturday but rarely stopped the music. Fans wore slickers to protect them during a set by The Deslondes at the club Gatsby in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Michael Crow and Channing Lewis of Grand Champeen at Hole in the Wall in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Nashville’s Bully plays at the Billy Reid/American Songwriter party during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

The band Best Coast plays in the Austin Convention Center during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Korea’s Barberettes play in the Austin Convention Center as part of SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Former Libertine Carl Barat and his band the Jackals played at Bar 96 in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by MIchael Mayer)

North Carolina’s American Aquarium plays at a day party stage at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Austin as part of SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Sabrina Ellis and A Giant Dog play at Hole in the Wall in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Hurray for the Riff Raff plays at the Billy Reid/American Songwriter party during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Lead guitarist for Rat Fist headed out into the crowd during their set at the club Red 7 in Austin for SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Ramesh, former leader of the band Voxtrot, played at the club Holy Mountain in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

San Francisco’s Chuck Prophet played at the Broken Spoke during the Twangfest party at SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

The city gave some clubs permission to go extra late with loud music during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

A pedicab equipped to be a mobile band rolled through downtown Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

The band Palma Violets play at the club Gatsby in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Drummer Andreas Wettmark of Makthaverskan tried a little makeup during this day party show at the club Red 7 in Austin during SXSW. (Photo by Meri Simon)

Matthew E. White played the club Mohawk during SXSW. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Displayed on a rack on stage while Matthew E. White played, was this Louis Prima album. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

Singers Fergie, will.i.am and Taboo, in AP photo by Matt Sayles, add their star power to the the Peapod Foundation Benefit Concert in L.A.

Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes hit the red carpet for the premiere of the film “The Reader” during the 59th Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin.

Will Ferrell keeps the hilarious impression of George W. Bush going during his part of the 90-minute “You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush” show in New York.

Renee Zellweger dons a fat suit while being honored as Hasty Pudding Theatricals Woman of the Year.
Meanwhile, singer Jessica Simpson, the focus lately of some petty criticism over her weight, seems to have let the pressure get to her. At a concert Thursday in Grand Rapids, she forgot the lyrics, struggled with her ear monitors, mumbled through songs and fought back tears, according to the Associated Press.

The line of folks waiting for the midnight release stretched the block. Actually, there was a line just to get in the line to get into the store. Inside the GameStop, there was cotton candy, snow cones, a small rarely used dance floor and an Azeroth Auction Hall raffle thing.

Outside, the organizers sprung for an actual frozen throne, face painting and candids. The whole line-waiting deal seemed to be catching on because across the street fashionistas were camping out for H&M’s latest fashion release. Apparently, that store is launching its trendy new line and folks couldn’t help but line up for the stories opening the next day.

Speaking of fashion, some of the more passionate WoW fans dressed up. Some of them were easier on the eyes than others.

I’ve been checking out the Viva Pinata site for a while now. Microsoft sent an earlier review copy of the game last week, and since then, I wanted to check out how my photos turned out on the InterWebs.

So far, it’s looking good. Players have to log in using their Xbox Live account, and they’ll be taken to their collection of photos. The game shows off your level and how valuable your garden is. Before this, the site was pretty much dead.

Oh, these sorts of stories are getting to be so predictable: Wholesome female star makes her mark by appealing to hordes of young kids. Oh, how sweet. How innocent.

Then wholesome female star has sexy photos pop up on the Internet. Â Oh, the shame.

AOL is reporting that a new batch of racy Miley “Hannah Montana” Cyrus have found their way online, showing the 15-year-old starlet flashing a bra and laying across the lap of a male with her top pulled up.

This wouldn’t be the first time that “mature” photos of Cyrus have made their rounds. In the past, pictures of the singer-actress in underwear and bikinis also made headlines. For more on the story, click here.